Aerosol generation device comprising voltage converter and method for controlling same

Abstract

An aerosol generating device includes a battery, a heater for heating an aerosol generating material, a voltage converter, and a controller. An aerosol generating device is provided with a voltage converter that is arranged between a battery and a heater, and converts a voltage applied from the battery to a constant voltage to output a preset fixed voltage that is applied to the heater. A controller controls electric power supplied to the heater such that the preset fixed voltage is applied to the heater in a preheating mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An aerosol generating device comprising:
 a battery; 
 a heater configured to heat an aerosol generating material; 
 a voltage converter configured to output a preset fixed voltage by converting a voltage applied from the battery to a constant voltage; and 
 a controller configured to determine whether the heater is operating in a preheating mode, and control electric power supplied from the voltage converter to the heater such that the preset fixed voltage is applied to the heater in the preheating mode to reach a preset preheating target temperature, 
 wherein a period of time for preheating the heater in the preheating mode is determined to be constant based on an amount of power required for the temperature of the heater to reach the preset preheating target temperature and the preset fixed voltage being applied to the heater in the preheating mode. 
 
     
     
       2. The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the voltage converter is further configured to:
 raise the voltage applied from the battery based on the voltage being lower than the preset fixed voltage, and 
 lower the voltage applied from the battery based on the voltage being higher than the preset fixed voltage. 
 
     
     
       3. The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein the heater is further configured to operate in a heating mode, and the controller is further configured to:
 control the electric power supplied to the heater such that the temperature of the heater is maintained below the preset preheating target temperature in the heating mode. 
 
     
     
       4. The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , wherein, the voltage converter corresponds to any one of a buck boost converter, an operating amplifier (OP Amp), and a low dropout (LDO) voltage regulator. 
     
     
       5. The aerosol generating device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first switch located between the voltage converter and the heater, and configured to switch between an open state and a closed state according to an input control signal; and 
 a second switch located between the heater and ground, and configured to switch between an open state and a closed state according to an input control signal. 
 
     
     
       6. The aerosol generating device of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 output a control signal that closes the first switch during a heating period of the heater, and 
 output a control signal that repeatedly opens and closes the second switch according to a power duty cycle of the heater during the heating period of the heater. 
 
     
     
       7. The aerosol generating device of  claim 5 , wherein the first switch and the second switch include a field-effect transistor.